Cover with pouring spout incorporated therein



3, 1955 R. D. PRESTON 2,715,982

COVER WITH POURING SPOUT INCORPORATED THEREIN Filed Feb. 28, 1952 Raymond 0. Preston INVENTOR.

United States Patent COVER WITH POURING SPOUT INCORPORATED THEREIN Raymond D. Preston, Burlington, Vt., assignor of onehalf to Philip D. Gould, Burlington, Vt.

Application February 28, 1952, Serial No. 273,917

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-541) The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in containers having removable covers and has more particular reference to a paint can provided with a so-called friction-type circular lid, one which has a prefabricated pouring spout incorporated therein.

Persons familiar with friction lidded paint cans are aware that the majority of cans on the market are provided with a type of lid which has to be pried off with a screw-driver or other handy implement. Cans most frequently employed at the present time are generally cylindrical and have a lid supporting and rention annulus provided with a depending endless or annular keying channel which is spaced concentrically and inwardly from the body of the can and joins the two by way of the usual connective web. The friction-type lid is circular and flat and has a marginal channel shaped head or key which is fitted into the keying channel. The lid also has an outer marginal bead so that the lid may be conveniently pried open in a well-known manner. After the lid is removed and one proceeds to pour paint into another container for mixing and use the keying channel becomes charged with the paint so that when the lid is replaced it sticks so tightly in place that subsequent removal is difficult. This is a common problem and has many disadvantages well known to users and for this reason all sorts of pouring spouts and other devices have been offered to cope with the problem.

The invention herein under advisement contemplates the provision of what may be called an extra cover or lid which may be conveniently substituted for the original lid after the latter has been removed and wherein said extra lid has means incorporated therein to provide a handy and aptly useable pouring spout. Under this arrangement the distributor of paint will sell a can of paint along with the extra spout-equipped lid or cover. The latter will be an exact replica of the original lid except that it has embodied therein an inherently novel feature; namely, a normally flat but ready-to-use pouring spout. The extra lid may be temporarily fastened in one manner or another to the regular lid or cover or to the bottom of the can whichever is preferable, whereby to thus fulfill the requirements and need of manufacturers, retailers and users, alike.

It will be evident therefore that the object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and economical extra paint can lid with a built-in pouring spout.

Another object is to provide a lid as stated wherein the lid portion is prefabricated to include two simple slits, these being arranged in T-shaped relationship and defining bendable tabs which may be readily bent out to define the desired pouring spout.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrated drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same;

Figure l is a top plan view of an improved paint can cover or lid constructed in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner in which the improved lid is employed and wherein the bendable tabs are pried out and bent open into somewhat converging relationship to define a pouring spout; and,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the vertical line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figure 3, the cylindrical body portion of the can is denoted by the numeral 4. As better shown in Figure 3 the openable end of the can is provided with the now well known lid supporting and friction retaining annulus 6. This is of customary channel shaped form in cross-section, the inner wall 7 having a bead 8 and the outer wall 10 being joined with the can by way of the customary connective bend or web 12. As explained the conception herein under advisement contemplates selling the paint can with the customary or original lid. It also has to do with including an extra pouring lid, the subject matter of the instant invention. As is evident this extra lid is a replica of the original lid but has an additional feature. In this respect it is proper therefore to mention that the discoidal part 14 constitutes the usual circular lid portion and this is provided with an outside marginal bead 16, a concentric inner head 18 and an intervening channel shaped portion 20 which may be conveniently referred to either as a rib or a key. This is keyed in the channel 6 in the manner shown best in Figure 3. Thus the extra or improved lid is identical with the original lid except that it has incorporated therein inherent features which go to make up a ready to use or so-called on the spot pouring spout. This is accomplished by providing T-shaped slit means. There is a first slit 22 and a second complemental slit 24. The two join each other at the central point of the first slit as denoted at 26. The slit 22 is approximately twice as long as the slit 24. The remaining end of the slit 24 is denoted at 28 and is slightly inward of the bead 18. These slits abut at right angles to each other and they define substantially triangular bendable tabs 30 and 32 which are identical. Using a screw-driver or other similar sharp instrument the corner portions are pried open and then the tabs are bent out to the angular position shown in the Figures 2 and 3 and they thus converge and because of their general triangular shape they cooperate in defining a satisfactory pouring spout, as is obvious. In as much as the bendable flaps 30 and 32 are normally coplanar or in the same plane and flat with the correspondingly flat lid portion 14, the improved lid may be aptly packed with the can of paint with which it is to be later used.

it is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. For use in conjunction with a paint can of a type having a lid supporting and retention annulus embodying a friction held lid keying channel spaced concentrically and inwardly from the body of the cap and joined by way of the usual connective web; a temporarily usable cover to be substituted for the original cover after the latter is removed comprising a lid which is an exact replica of said 3 V rib and also embodying an improvement; namely, T'-shaped slit'means embodying a first linearly straight slit and a second linearly straight slit joined at one end with the centralportion of said first slit, said first slit being twice'the'length of the second slit'and said slits V tive ends of the first slit are spaced inwardly from said annular keying rib and wherein the outer end of the second slit is located so that it terminatesat a point spaced inwardly from the same rib, the lengths of said slits being proportionate to the over-all diameter of the lid to define tabs which are in keeping in size with said diameter measurement, and both of said slits being situated to one'side of the axial center of the discoidal lid portion so that the pouring spout is in a satisfactory eccentric pouring position to virtually and satisfactorily dispense the entire contents of the can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 953,300 Schulz 1 Mar. 29, 1910 1,773,263 Dister Aug. 19, 1930 2,079,026 Moir May 4, 1937 2,606,694 Galletta Aug. 12, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,128 7 Great Britain -Mar. 25, 1907 

